A new biotech has raised $245 million to test a new asthma medication that could compete with one sold by Amgen and AstraZeneca.
The startup, Aiolos Therapeutics, was founded by former Genentech colleagues Khurem Farooq and Tony Adamis after they stumbled upon a drug being developed by Chinese pharma company Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. The two men believed there was an unmet need in asthma, and in Jiangsu’s drug, a potential game-changer.
The experimental medication, AIO-001, is similar to Amgen and AstraZeneca’s new product Tezspire: Both work by inhibiting the thymic stromal lymphopoietin, or TSLP, which is over-expressed by people with asthma and causes airway inflammation. (Another startup, Upstream Bio, announced Tuesday that its subcutaneous TSLP inhibitor is also showing promise in a Phase 1 trial.)
This article is exclusive to STAT+ subscribers
Unlock this article — plus daily coverage and analysis of the biotech sector — by subscribing to STAT+.
Already have an account? Log in
Already have an account? Log in
To submit a correction request, please visit our Contact Us page.
STAT encourages you to share your voice. We welcome your commentary, criticism, and expertise on our subscriber-only platform, STAT+ Connect